Monday, September 29, 2014

English 10 Honors--10/2/2014

Jump Off (5-8 mins.)
--Pick up a highlighter from the front table.
--Take out your copy of the text titled "Pickup Lines and Open(ing) Seductions, or Why Novels Have First Pages" and skim through your close reading annotations. Then, highlight the two annotations that you would most like to share during today's discussion.
*I WILL BE AROUND WITH YOUR AOW ACTIVE READING FROM LAST WEEK*

S. the C. (8-10 mins.)

--agenda/rationale/HW
--take a quick look at exemplary AoW #3 active reading in preparation for AoW #4 (due next class)

Close Reading (cont.)/Discussion Preparation -- Thomas C. Foster's "Pickup Lines and Open(ing) Seductions, or Why Novels Have First Pages" from How to Read Novels Like a Professor (2008) (10 mins.)
--Rationale/Purpose:
  • As noted on the first day of school, one of the broad, overarching goals of this course is gaining the ability to read "like a champ".  Close reading is a skill set that seasoned readers implement on challenging texts (whether fiction or nonfiction) in order to uncover layers of meaning that lead to deep comprehension.  
  • In order to more purposefully close read nonfiction texts, a sound sense of what to look for is important. 
  • In partnerships (formed via a drawing of cards), engage in discussion based on your annotations from closely reading pages 21-25 and pages 34-36 of Foster's text (beginning with what you highlighed during today's Jump Off)
    • Continue marking up your personal copy of the text
    • Be prepared to share some of the highlights of your discussion
Transition -- form an alphabetical-by-last-name circle out of the desks (1 min.)

Discussion -- Thomas C. Foster's "Pickup Lines and Open(ing) Seductions, or Why Novels Have First Pages" from How to Read Novels Like a Professor (2008) (flexible amount of time based on my measurement of productivity)
--go over the discussion protocol/"Discussion Contribution Rating Scale"
--engage in a paragraph-by-paragraph group close read/discussion via the protocol--continue marking up personal copies of the text as I mark up the text projected on the SmartBoard

Transition -- re-column the desks (1 min.)

Closure/HW Time -- Reading Nonfiction Document Clearing Questions (time permitting)
--Individually or in pairs, begin mindfully completing all of the questions under "Step #3" of the "Reading Nonfiction Document" for "Pickup Lines..."

Teambuilding Activity -- Thematic Writing Assignment--Partner Interviews (time permitting)
--I hand an introduction and first body paragraph of an essay with the name of the student being written about whited out to a random student--he/she then reads the essay segment aloud, substituting the word "blank" for each whited out area
--guess who?!
--student being written about repeats first and last name, reveals the author of the writing piece, and shares one additional "tidbit" about him or herself (perhaps something else that came up during the interviewing sessions?)
--REPEAT THE PROCESS...
--EXPECT TO RECEIVE YOUR SCORED WRITING PIECE WITH AMPLE FEEDBACK SOMETIME NEXT WEEK

HW
--Finish your work with Article of the Week #4, which is due at the beginning of class next time (Monday, 10/6). This task will include purposefully reading the directions in the box at the top of the page and completing your best work with regard to the directions.
--Mindfully complete all of the questions under "Step #3" of the "Reading Nonfiction Document" for "Pickup Lines..." prior to the beginning of next class.  Then, review your responses.  Expect to finish working with Foster's chapter next week.
--Bring your vocabulary book next time--please do not forget!
--Enjoy the weekend--you only get so many of 'em.